


Graceful

by CloversDreams



Category: Noblesse (Manhwa)
Genre: Alls Well That Ends In A Polyship, Dancer!Takeo, Dancer!Tao, Drinking, M-21 is so smitten, M/M, Modern AU, Multi, No Impending Threat of Doom, Pining, Rael and Rajak cameos, Takeo is too pretty, Tao is a goofball, because they are both alive and well, implied sensuality, just three guys doing their best, no powers, not that anyone can blame him
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-23
Updated: 2020-04-23
Packaged: 2021-03-02 04:40:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,146
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23809276
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CloversDreams/pseuds/CloversDreams
Summary: M-21’s feet moved on their own and he stepped into the large room. He turned to his left and saw two male dancers in the corner where the mirrors met. The one on the ground had short, black hair and was wearing a tight black outfit. The one in the air had long, purple hair that seemed to accentuate the way his body curved backwards to make a beautiful crescent shape.He’d seen this pair before. Since their dance class ended before his taekwondo class began, it wasn’t unusual to pass each other as they left and he arrived. Rajak had even allowed him to sit in on a few of the dance classes he taught, and M-21 had to admit he’d never seen a more alluring sight as the way the two of them danced together.Their movements were so fluid and perfectly timed that it was as if they were one. Sometimes it was almost impossible to tell where one of them ended and the other began. M-21 couldn’t take his eyes off of them for the length of their routine, sometimes longer.
Relationships: M-21/Takeo/Tao (Noblesse)
Comments: 5
Kudos: 39





	Graceful

M-21 adjusted the strap of the duffel bag slung across his shoulder as he looked at the sign above the building he stood outside of. The words Studio Kertia were written in an offensively glittery font. He furrowed his brow at the sight. Well, he supposed people wouldn’t be able to miss the place now. He shook his head then stepped into the building.

It was just a bit earlier than he was supposed to arrive, so he had a little time to kill. M-21 wandered into the main office and was greeted with a warm smile from the blond-haired, red-eyed owner. He nodded in response and said, “Good afternoon, Rajak.”

“Early for your class again, M?” The blond asked.

“What can I say? I’m an overachiever.” M-21 shrugged.

“That might make sense if you were taking the class, not teaching it,” Rajak laughed.

M-21 offered him a crooked smile. The guy had him there. He motioned over his shoulder with his thumb and said, “Oh. I noticed you got a new sign.”

Rajak perked up and asked, “We just had it installed. What do you think?”

“It’s, uh, certainly eye-catching.” M-21 was pretty sure that didn’t sound too negative. Just because it wasn’t to his personal taste didn’t mean it wasn’t something others would like.

“Good.” Rajak nodded, looking pleased. “Rael and I agreed that’s exactly the sort of thing our father would’ve wanted.”

“Yeah?” M-21 looked around. “Speaking of, the kid’s not here to gloat about it being his idea or anything?”

Rajak shook his head and sighed, “You know him, still hopelessly searching for a way to woo that so-called perfect girl he keeps talking about.”

“Has he tried not being a prick?” M-21 asked before he could stop himself.

Rajak bent his head and pulled his turtleneck over his mouth in an attempt to stifle a smile. The amusement was still in his eyes when he cleared his throat and replied, “If there’s nothing else you need, I really have to get back to work. The last of the stragglers from my earlier class should be on the way out of the main room by now if you want to go get set up.”

“Thanks. See you later.” M-21 waved then left the office. He headed down the hall lined with cork boards on either side. They were full of ads for different events, classes, and all sorts of private lessons. M-21 never paid them much attention. He only came to the studio to teach his class, no other reason.

M-21 reached his destination then paused when he heard the sound of laughter. He stood frozen right outside the door. Rajak did mention there might be some stragglers from his class. M-21 wondered if he should just leave and come back later. Though that seemed a bit ridiculous considering _his_ class would start soon. He needed to warm up beforehand. It wasn’t like the space was small or anything. He could mind his own business. His eyes widened when he heard a pair of voices begin to speak.

“Watch where you’re grabbing!” Cried the first voice.

“Would you prefer I let you fall and hurt that pretty face of yours?” The other snickered. “Arch your back a bit more.”

“Let me down already, we can’t stay here all night.”

M-21’s feet moved on their own and he stepped into the large room. He turned to his left and saw two male dancers in the corner where the mirrors met. The one on the ground had short, black hair and was wearing a tight black outfit. The one in the air had long, purple hair that seemed to accentuate the way his body curved backwards to make a beautiful crescent shape. He also wore an equally tight outfit, but it was white.

He’d seen this pair before. Since their dance class ended before his taekwondo class began, it wasn’t unusual to pass each other as they left and he arrived. Rajak had even allowed him to sit in on a few of the dance classes he taught, and M-21 had to admit he’d never seen a more alluring sight as the way the two of them danced together.

Their movements were so fluid and perfectly timed that it was as if they were one. Sometimes it was almost impossible to tell where one of them ended and the other began. M-21 couldn’t take his eyes off of them for the length of their routine, sometimes longer. It was like that every time he had the chance to watch the dance class.

As enthralled by the pair as he was, they’d never noticed his presence before. Not that he could really blame either of them. If he had such an alluring companion he wouldn’t want to look at anyone else either. This time was no different. They were both so completely lost in one another that they were in their own little world. M-21 watched the way they smiled warmly and stared at each other as the dark-haired guy finally lowered the other to the ground.

The long-haired man slid his arms around the other’s neck and hummed, “We really need to get going, Tao.”

“But, Takeo, you look so good in tights.” His hands that were on the other’s waist slid around to embrace him. “Let me stare a bit longer.”

A pair of blue eyes shifted slightly to look over Tao’s shoulder and landed upon M-21. He stiffened then turned away from the gaze. He felt his cheeks burn with the embarrassment of getting caught staring like that.

A throat cleared then a voice called, “Sorry, mister martial arts instructor! We’re leaving!”

M-21 looked up in time to watch the pair smile and wave in his direction as they walked out of the room. Even their regular walks seemed graceful. All he could do was stare in awe. That was the first time they’d ever acknowledged him. He never would’ve imagined they’d actually know who he was or smile in his direction. Heck, he wasn’t even wearing his dobok yet. M-21 wasn’t sure how to process this.

All that aside, now he had names to associate with their faces. Tao and Takeo, the two most enchanting people he'd ever seen. A pair like them could even get _him_ interested in the dance arts, and that was saying something. M-21’s pulse raced so fast his heart threatened to beat right out of his chest. His whole body felt like it might be feverish. He could hardly believe that he felt like he needed a cold shower just because two dancers smiled in his direction a minute ago. What a day this turned out to be.

The sound of an alarm knocked him out of his own head. M-21 removed his phone from his pocket and shut off the irritating sound. He didn’t have to look to know what it meant. It was time for him to focus. He could get lost in whatever thoughts he wanted to later after class.

M-21 peeked his head into the office and said, “I’m heading out for the night. See you tomorrow.” He waved and continued on his way without waiting for a response. If he lingered too long they’d get to chatting and he might never leave.

“Take care!” Rajak called after him.

“Don’t bother to come back while you're at it!” Called a second voice.

“See you tomorrow, Rael! Try not to miss me too much!” M-21 smiled when he heard the offended grumbles at such an outrageous suggestion.

M-21 stepped out of the building and surveyed his surroundings. It was a bit later than usual because he’d stayed to help a few students that were struggling a bit. Then he had to do some paperwork. It was always something. The streetlamps that lined the sidewalk barely provided enough light to see by. M-21 frowned to himself then headed towards the nearby parking lot.

He paused when he heard a shout. It sounded like it was close by. M-21 didn’t dare breathe as he listened to his surroundings. At the sound of a second shout his body moved on its own. He dashed towards the noise. His legs carried him as fast as they possibly could.

M-21 barely had a second to register the sight before him when he finally stumbled upon the scene. Tao and Takeo stood glaring at some big guy that had a knife pointed at them. He did his best to assess the situation.

“I said hand over the bag!” The man yelled.

Tao hugged his duffel bag to his chest and shook his head. “Absolutely not! Do you have any idea how expensive this was? This is designer! Can you comprehend that in your tiny mind?”

Takeo put a hand upon his shoulder and mumbled, “Tao, I don’t think this is the time for–”

“This brute doesn’t deserve to know what genuine, treated leather feels like!” Tao cut him off. He held his chin in the air defiantly and shouted, “I refuse!”

“You wanna die?” The man growled. He grunted then turned around when someone tapped on his shoulder. The moment he did he was met with a merciless knee directly to his solar plexus. He doubled over with the wind knocked out of him and gasped for air. The knife fell out of his hand with a soft clank. Just like that the situation was taken care of and he was incapacitated.

M-21 kicked the knife away from him then put his foot on the man’s chest. He had a threatening aura around him as he spat, “My next attack won’t miss your vital organs. Never show your pathetic face around here again, understand?”

The man nodded and M-21 stepped over him without a care. He looked at the shocked expressions on Takeo and Tao’s faces then the look upon his face melted into something more along the lines of embarrassment. Maybe he shouldn’t have been so rough. He wasn’t an animal, after all.

“That was amazing. You took him down in a single move!” Takeo shouted when he finally managed to find his voice again.

“I would’ve done that, but I might have chipped my nail polish.” Tao waved a dismissive hand at the man on the ground. He poked out his bottom lip then asked, “Do any of you have a clue as to how much it cost?”

“A lot? I guess?” M-21 asked as he rubbed the back of his neck. He was glad that it was so dark out. That meant they probably couldn’t see the way his cheeks had filled with blush. He didn’t even know what that was about. He looked at them both in turn and asked, “Are the two of you all right?”

“Don’t mind him, he’s just embarrassed.” Takeo nudged Tao with his shoulder. He smiled and added, “Thank you for helping us. We’re fine, yes.”

“That’s a relief,” M-21 sighed.

“This bag has its own moisturizer…” Tao mumbled, evidently still offended by the thought that someone thought he’d just hand it over.

Takeo shook his head. He turned his attention back to M-21 and asked, “Can we maybe buy you a drink to show our appreciation for you helping us?”

“Uhh…” M-21 simply blinked at the pair. The looks on their faces were so genuine that he was sure he couldn’t deny them anything. He had no idea when he’d become such a weak person. He avoided eye-contact with the pair and mumbled, “I guess a quick one wouldn’t hurt.”

“Great! We know just the place!” Takeo chirped.

The bar they ended up going to was surprisingly lively. Although M-21 figured this time of night was probably when they did the most business. Tao and Takeo looked right at home with the way they smiled at everyone and even greeted a few people they knew. M-21 was lead to wonder just how often the pair went out for drinks.

Luckily for them a cozy booth in the corner of the room was free. M-21 didn’t mind sitting at the bar but this would be more comfortable. He slid into one side and the others sat across from him. A waitress stopped by and M-21 watched as the pair ordered some drinks he’d never heard of. When the woman looked at him he simply muttered that he’d have a beer.

“Into life’s simple pleasures, huh?” Takeo asked with a warm smile.

“What?” M-21 simply blinked at him.

“You don’t have to show us you’re a tough guy. We already know that. Order anything you want to drink. No judgement here.”

“I don’t mind beer,” M-21 replied. “It’s not the best tasting thing in the world, but I don’t really know much about mixed drinks in general. I wouldn’t have the faintest idea what to order.”

“We can help you figure that out,” Tao hummed. Before the gray-haired man could respond he flagged over the waitress and ordered a whole bunch of things in rapid succession.

M-21 swore all he did was blink and suddenly their table was full of an array of colorful cocktails in interesting glasses. The sight was a bit intimidating at first, but when he saw the cheery smiles on Takeo and Tao’s faces as they talked about the ones they did and didn’t prefer, M-21 relaxed a bit.

He took sips of a variety of drinks. Some were awful and he never wanted to try anything similar again, others weren’t bad at all. M-21 found it hard to tear his gaze away from the pair across from him. They sat so close together that they were practically in each other’s laps. The more drinks they had the pinker their cheeks became, which was an incredibly appealing sight. Alcohol induced flush suited them both. The smiles on their faces could melt even the iciest of hearts.

M-21’s own head started to feel a bit light by the time he realized that both Tao and Takeo seemed to be a bit giggly. The sound of their soft laughter made him smile as well. It was music to his ears. The fact that he felt so comfortable around them was strange yet wonderful. He finished off the blue drink closest to him then set the glass down and asked, “You two always seem to be dancing together. Are duets your specialty?”

“I guess you can say that,” Tao nodded. “I was never really into the _pas de deux_ scene until we met.”

“It certainly feels like our specialty these days,” Takeo hummed. He chuckled softly when Tao turned and nuzzled then kissed his cheek. They both stiffened and let out a soft ‘oh’ then turned to look at M-21. He merely raised a curious eyebrow at them.

Tao turned so that he was facing forward again then cleared his throat. He scratched at his cheek and asked, “Does it bother you that we’re in a relationship?”

“Why would something like that bother me?” M-21 asked right back. He picked up the closest drink to himself– a green one this time– and took a big sip. He scrunched his face at the unexpected sour flavor.

Takeo’s smile didn’t quite reach his eyes as he replied, “There are some really close-minded people in the world.”

“Well, I’m not one of them,” M-21 declared. He finished off the rest of the drink then added, “I’m open to any and all new experiences.”

“Oh really?” Tao purred as a devilish smile spread across his face. He sat his elbows on the table and intertwined his fingers then rested his chin atop them.

M-21’s cheeks darkened under his intense gaze. These two always seemed to fluster him without actually doing anything. Maybe they were secretly a pair of witches. He looked away and muttered, “Y-yeah.”

“Should we dance a _pas de trois_ sometime?” Tao asked with a teasing smirk that stretched across his face.

“I take back my former statement.” M-21 shook his head. “I’m open to _most_ new experiences. Not all. I don’t dance.”

“It couldn’t hurt to try~” Tao purred.

It could hurt. Very much, actually. M-21 knew that people got injured while dancing all the time. He wasn’t one to attempt such a thing with no prior experience. Though he couldn’t bring himself to say as much with the way Tao was staring at him. It took all his focus not to squirm where he sat.

“Stop making that face,” Takeo interjected, “you’re scaring him.”

Tao turned towards him then shook his head. “What face? I’m not making a face.”

Takeo poked his cheek and explained, “You look like you want to eat him. That’s a look of a predator who found its prey.”

“So what if I do? You saw firsthand how tough he is. There’s no way I’d win in a physical altercation so it wouldn’t make sense for me to try anything of the sort.” Tao snorted and rolled his eyes.

“He can hear you,” Takeo reminded him.

Tao shut his eyes and held his chin in the air. “I’m just stating facts.”

M-21 blinked a few times. This whole situation didn’t feel real. He wondered if he might’ve passed out from the drinking and this was all a dream. That’d be strange. He realized it might get awkward if he didn’t say something. In the end he went with the first thing that popped into his head. “You two are really graceful.”

“Are we?” Tao snickered.

Takeo nudged him with his elbow. “You mean when we dance, right? Thank you, we do try our best!”

“Actually, I meant all the time. Even the normal things you do somehow have the same feeling,” M-21 mumbled. He took a sip of his drink and hoped that didn’t sound nearly as weird as he thought it did. Their silence meant one thing. It was time for a subject change. M-21 set down his glass and asked, “So, uh, how’d you two get into dancing?”

“Oh, you know,” Takeo explained, “the usual sob story about a not-so-great home life and needing a means of escape. Neither of ours is a very interesting tale.” He paused to take a sip of the red drink nearest him. He placed the glass back onto the table then smiled and asked, “What about you? How’d you end up teaching martial arts? The classes you teach are free, right? What lead you to that decision?”

M-21 stared into his empty drink glass and mumbled, “I believe everyone has the right to learn how to defend themselves.”

“Got your own sob story you don’t wanna talk about, huh? We get it.” Tao picked up the closest glass to himself and raised it in a toast. “To leaving the wretched past behind and making a better future.”

“Couldn’t have said it better myself,” Takeo replied as he raised his own glass.

M-21 joined the pair and held up a glass then grunted in agreement. They all clinked them together and the conversation quickly switched to who among them was a cat or dog person. He could barely keep up anymore, but it didn’t matter at all. Getting to watch the other two blather on happily about god-knows what was a gift in itself. He found himself glad that he took them up on the offer for drinks.

The next day M-21’s life returned to the normal routine. In fact, it was all so mundane and regular that he was left to wonder if he’d dreamed the events of the previous night. Though that seemed far-fetched considering the headache that he just couldn’t shake. Beer never did this to him. He took a few painkillers and got ready to head to the studio.

He ended up running later than he’d hoped since he’d slept in. M-21 was just about to reach for the door to the studio when a car honked. The sound rattled around in his skull like a jackhammer and he had no idea how his legs didn’t give out. He turned around to see Tao and Takeo smiling and waving at him as they drove by.

M-21 offered them a crooked smile and waved back. He wondered if the action looked as awkward as he felt. Once they were out of sight he headed into the building. All he could do was hope that there was some aspirin in the office, or he might have to cancel his class tonight.

While M-21 would love to say that nothing much had changed after that evening of drinks, that’d be an outright lie. He still only ever saw Tao and Takeo in passing. If they noticed him they’d smile and even wave. M-21’s heart skipped a beat every time. That wasn’t new. It was the fact that he couldn’t seem to get either of them out of his head that was driving him a bit crazy.

If he happened to be there early and walk by the room in time to catch the pair doing their warm ups it was like a punch in the gut. Not only could both of them get their legs onto the ballet barre with ease, but when they made it look effortless as they gracefully leaned over to touch their toes, he swore he’d break into a cold sweat.

He’d only seen this a handful of times and it was always too much. The both of them were way too attractive for their own good. Those skintight outfits they always wore certainly didn’t help matters. Those clothes showed that Tao and Takeo were both alarmingly fit. More than one would probably expect.

All in all, their extreme appeal was bad for his health. M-21 couldn’t help but be distracted by the sight of them. He could just imagine what it’d be like to interrupt their workout because he wanted a kiss. The initial surprise would turn into something soft and sweet. He was sure of it. They’d embrace one another tenderly and exchange whispers of affection. M-21 caught a glimpse of the way they smiled at one another and suddenly felt like a terrible person for having such thoughts. The pair already had each other. There was no room for him in the equation. He was a certified mess.

Just under two weeks had passed since the three of them had gone out for those drinks. Not that M-21 was counting. He wandered into the studio, offered Rajak a half-hearted wave as he walked by the office, then headed down the hallway. To his surprise, Rael was standing outside of the room glaring at his cell phone. M-21 could guess why.

He pat the blond on the back and said, “You’ll never get a girlfriend if you’re always in such a rotten mood.”

Rael’s cheeks darkened to a light crimson. He shoved his phone into his pocket and yelled, “What would _you_ know about getting a girlfriend!”

M-21 laughed then shrugged. “You’re right. I’ve never technically had one either.”

“What do you mean _either_? Don’t lump me in with the likes of you!” Rael shrieked. He frowned and poked M-21 in the middle of his chest then added, “You have no right to lecture me. One word to my brother and bam! You don’t have a place to teach for free anymore!”

“I might believe that if your dear brother didn’t adore me,” M-21 replied with a teasing smirk. There was something so satisfying about being able to call someone out on an idle threat. He bopped Rael on the nose and leaned into his personal space then teased, “You couldn’t get rid of me if you tried.”

“I’ll–! You–! Shut up!” Rael stomped off and continued to grumble incoherent nonsense to himself.

M-21 sighed and shook his head. That kid had a lot of growing up to do, but he was getting there. Slowly. He turned to continue into the room when something caught his eye. At the end of the hall near the office were Tao and Takeo, both with curious looks upon their faces. He realized that he had no idea what that little interaction must’ve looked like to someone else.

A wave of embarrassment washed over him and he hurried into the room so he was out of their line of sight. M-21 took some solace in the fact that the studio was closed tomorrow. A day off would do him some good. All he had to do was get through this class and he could forget his own embarrassing moment. Probably.

It was nice to be able to sleep in the next morning. M-21 decided to take the day off from personal things as well. He could do chores and the like another time. Today, he just wanted to see where life decided to take him. After he got dressed he wandered the nearest marketplace. He could always find a way to pass the time there.

It was crowded, as was the norm for the weekend. Not only were there food and ware vendors, but all sorts of interesting street performers as well. M-21 never knew what he’d see when he took the time to visit. Most times it was interesting enough not to be a waste of his day. He kept his hands in his pockets as he wandered down the street.

M-21’s curiosity was piqued when he stumbled upon a small crowd. There didn’t seem to be many vendors in this area so he could only assume it was some kind of performance that had gotten so much attention. He stepped closer and heard the faint sound of music. It was a classical song. Something he knew he’d heard a thousand times before, though he wasn’t quite sure what it was called.

He managed to weave through the crowd so he could get a better look. M-21 froze in place the moment that he saw a familiar head of long purple hair do a twirl then end up in a waiting pair of arms. His eyes widened when Tao dipped Takeo backwards and the crowd applauded. The pair didn’t even slow down. They continued their routine, in perfect time to the music, completely lost in their own little world.

M-21 did his best to blend in with the crowd as he watched the amazing performance. From the way their off-shoulder shirts glittered in the sunlight to the delighted smiles upon their faces, everything about this dance was beautiful. Not only that, but their moves were on par with the professionals. He wondered why they were taking a dance class together instead of teaching one themselves.

The whole routine was mesmerizing. He couldn’t take his eyes off of them. There were soft gasps from the crowd around him when Takeo spun around so gracefully and with such speed that his ponytail seemed to float in mid-air. M-21 couldn’t blame any of them, he was just as amazed by the sight.

The elegant and fluid moves continued until the pair ended with a lift. They held the pose. Then the crowd burst into applause. M-21 was too stunned to join them. It was the opposite of what he’d seen Tao and Takeo practice. Tao was the one in the air this time and he curved his back gracefully while he grabbed his toes so that his body formed a damn near perfect circle. The sight was as dramatic as it was beautiful. It also made M-21 realize that they _both_ had incredible upper body strength to pull off such a feat.

Takeo let Tao down and the pair took one another’s hand then bowed. They smiled at the cheering crowd with confidence. The sight was incredible. M-21 wanted to say they looked gorgeous but something stirred within his core that made him think that word wasn’t quite strong enough. Tao explained that they’d perform again in a few hours and thanked everyone for coming.

As the pair started to pack up, M-21 made his way out of the crowd. This was his chance to leave without being noticed. He’d certainly been right when he said he never knew what to expect at the marketplace. This was a performance he wouldn’t soon forget. M-21 felt a bit flush at the mere memory of their sensual expressions. Those two really were something special.

*

M-21 stepped out of Studio Kertia and onto the sidewalk then looked around. It was dark and the streetlamps were lit. Darn, he hadn’t realized it had gotten that late. As he headed towards his car, he couldn’t help but wonder if he should get himself a watch. Nah, that was unnecessary. He should consider setting an alarm on his phone, though. He froze mid-step when he heard a familiar shout. Again? It couldn’t be. The odds were astronomical. A second yell knocked him out of his own head, and he ran towards the sound without another thought.

He rounded the corner of the building then skidded to a halt. M-21’s eyes widened as he watched Tao take down a man that stood almost a full head taller than him with a well-aimed punch to his nose. The resulting crack made M-21 grimace. That had to hurt. His gaze shifted to watch Takeo use a chokehold on another man until he passed out, then dropped him. Even in a situation where it shouldn’t have been possible, somehow the pair managed to maintain that air of gracefulness about them.

Once the men were no longer a threat the pair dusted off their hands and picked up their duffel bags. It was only then that they finally noticed M-21 standing there. The two of them froze and none of them blinked for a solid fifteen seconds.

M-21 was the first to regain his composure. His gaze fell to the men on the ground then he looked back up at the other two and finally managed to mutter, “You guys knew self-defense all along?”

Tao chuckled nervously then tilted his head and asked, “Did we ever say we didn’t?”

M-21 opened his mouth but quickly shut it again. No, they never said anything like that. He’d just assumed after he’d helped out on instinct. That certainly made him wonder what all that nonsense was about that previous evening though. Was it really such a big deal that their would-be mugger tried to take Tao’s bag? What utter nonsense. Part of him wanted to laugh it was so ridiculous.

“Though it _was_ nice having a big, strong man come to our rescue like that,” Takeo hummed.

“Pretty hot, yeah.” Tao agreed. He looked at the utter confusion on M-21’s face then shook his head. “Look, we don’t know enough to teach a class or anything, but we’ve got the basics down and can defend ourselves when necessary.”

“Though we prefer not to use such violence,” Takeo chimed in.

“Of course. They clearly forced our hand.” Tao motioned to Takeo’s torn right sleeve. “Just look at your shirt!”

“They attacked you?” M-21 clenched his hands into such tight fists that his knuckles turned white. The bastards on the ground deserved far worse than they’d gotten. “Are you–”

“I’m fine, don’t worry,” Takeo assured him. He motioned to his left and explained, “Tao overreacted and that started a whole mess.”

Tao crossed his arms with a _hmph_. He had a disapproving frown on his face as he muttered, “It’s not an overreaction when someone lays a hand on you.”

There was just barely enough light to see that Takeo’s cheeks were dusted light pink and he smiled shyly in response.

“You should come to my place,” M-21 blurted out for no discernible reason. As soon as the words slipped past his lips his eyes widened. The other two looked just as surprised by his declaration and even stopped talking mid-sentence. M-21 cleared his throat and turned his head so they couldn’t see the blush in his cheeks as he said, “I live really close by so it’s not out of the way or anything. I just want to make sure you two are all right.”

Takeo continued to smile as he took Tao’s hand in his and replied, “How could we possibly say no to such a kind offer?”

M-21 felt like he was floating on a cloud the whole way home. That was the only way to describe the surrealism of the situation. Maybe the whole thing was a dream and he would wake up once he reached the good part. Only time would tell.

He unlocked then stepped into his apartment only to find that Tao and Takeo were still there. They hadn’t disappeared and he hadn’t woken up. The only logical conclusion was that this was actually reality somehow. Wow.

M-21 showed them to the living room and told them to take a seat. He disappeared for a moment then returned with a first aid kit. He set that down on the coffee table and proceeded to inspect his guests for any visible injuries. As it turned out, they were both perfectly fine like they insisted. That was a load off his mind.

He let out a relieved sigh then said, “Sorry I don’t have any drinks to offer you two, I wasn’t expecting company.” M-21 paused to think about it. An idea struck him and he continued, “I can make coffee though.”

“That'd be lovely, thank you.” Takeo hummed with a warm smile.

“Extra sugar in mine,” Tao said loudly after M-21 left the room.

M-21 returned with a mug in each hand. He offered them to the pair and nodded when they thanked him softly. Then he finally plopped down into the nearby recliner. Just the events of the last hour alone seemed to have drained him of most of his energy.

Tao and Takeo took a sip of their drinks then both made a face. They looked at one another in silence. Takeo put his mug down on the table and cleared his throat. Tao wasn’t so subtle.

“This is terrible.” Tao waved his mug in the air. He narrowed his eyes at their host and asked, “You really drink it? Like, this isn’t a prank?”

M-21 shrugged. “It was on sale.”

“Oh god.” Tao actually looked like he might faint after hearing that. Takeo quickly took the mug from him and set it onto the table as well. Then he rubbed his back soothingly.

“We'll bring you some really delicious imported coffee next time.” Takeo said with a nod. “You probably won't believe the difference.”

M-21 had to admit that he liked the sound of there being a next time. He absolutely wanted to spend more time with the pair. They were captivating even when doing nothing other than insulting his taste in coffee. That was fair, though. Even he didn’t care for the flavor of that particular brand. It was simply all he had.

“So,” Tao said loudly enough to knock the gray-haired man out of his own head. He sat back against the love seat and tilted his head. He kept his gaze fixed upon M-21 as he asked, “Rael, huh?”

M-21’s eyes widened. This couldn’t possibly have anything to do with that one embarrassing moment the other day. There was no way. He blinked a few times then finally asked, “What about him?”

“You two seem pretty close,” Takeo replied. He twisted the end of his purple hair around his fingers slowly.

M-21 snorted and rolled his eyes. “Hardly. He’s my good friend's younger brother and that makes him kind of like my own pain in the ass sibling who hates my guts.”

“That sounds like a mess,” Tao snickered.

“It is,” M-21 nodded. “Luckily, I know how to get him to back down when he tries to start problems.”

“The way you talk about him makes him sound more like a feral cat than a brother,” Tao mused.

“You're not far off,” M-21 laughed.

All three of them continued to chit chat about random topics. The atmosphere was incredibly relaxed, almost as if they were old friends he’d known just short of forever. It wasn’t lost on M-21 that none of them had a single drop of alcohol and yet they seemed to be having just as good of a time as when they’d been at the bar.

M-21 watched Tao tackle-hug Takeo and the pair wrestle for a moment before they finally rolled onto the ground. Then came a screech for help as a tickle fight started. M-21 smiled and shook his head. He couldn’t remember the last time his apartment was filled with so much laughter. The thought made him feel a strange amount of warmth in his chest. They really were incredible.

Something changed after that evening. M-21 found that Tao and Takeo would waltz right up to him and start chatting without hesitation. They always made sure to stop and talk to him before they left the studio for the evening. Sometimes they’d even invite M-21 out when none of them had any other plans. Suddenly he had himself a pair of drinking buddies.

M-21 didn’t mind this at all. The more he got to know the pair the more he liked them. They really were the most incredible people he’d ever met. Sometimes when they went out for drinks Tao and Takeo would have a few too many then get all clingy and kissy with each other– as was their current predicament. M-21 did his best not to stare, but it was basically impossible. The two of them were living works of art. As such it was practically his duty to admire them. Or something. He didn’t know. But he didn’t particularly want to stop watching them.

He managed to avert his gaze and took a sip of his own drink. He didn’t have to be looking at the pair to know that the soft giggle he heard was because Tao had nuzzled Takeo’s cheek and started to mutter softly about how pretty he was. M-21 was left to wonder if this was the norm. Was it just how things were when a person was in a relationship, or were these two a special case? He couldn’t help but wonder if he should’ve tried harder to make things last longer than a single evening with his own past casual relations. Nah, that kind of thing didn’t suit him at all.

“Hey, M! I’ve been wondering. Was it true what you said to Rael a few weeks back?” Takeo asked. He had his hand on Tao’s shoulder to keep him at bay. “About never having a girlfriend?”

“Well, yeah,” M-21 nodded. He stared into his glass and explained, “I’ve never really been romantically interested in any girls. Sure, I’m as up for having a good time as the next guy, but nothing more than a quick fling to release built up tension.”

“There’s nothing wrong with that. I get it.” Takeo replied. “In fact, I’ve never dated a woman either. I was always more interested in being their friend so I could borrow their sparkly hair clips.” Takeo chuckled softly at his own words.

M-21 offered him a crooked smile. The genuinely happy smile on his face sure was cute. Though that was probably the alcohol talking. Yeah.

“Women are pretty magical, but they’re just a small sampling of what the world has to offer,” Tao chimed in, “I’ve tried many different flavors.”

“Before finally settling, you mean?” Takeo asked.

“Don’t go putting words in my mouth.” Tao leaned over and kissed his cheek. He turned towards their gray-eyed companion and hummed, “What about you, M? Ever think about any guys in a romantic sense?”

M-21’s cheeks darkened at the question. He couldn’t possibly answer that. It was mortifying considering the only men he’d ever thought about like that were the two sitting across from him. He shrugged and offered a non-committal grunt then took another sip of his drink.

“Come on, Tao, cut him a break.” Takeo waited for M-21 to set his drink down then reached across the table and put a gentle hand upon his wrist. He tilted his head and said, “You don’t have to answer that if it makes you uncomfortable.”

“It’s, uhh… all right… I’m not uncomfortable…” M-21 pulled his hand away and rubbed the back of his neck. He wasn’t quite sure why he said that, all things considered. Maybe it was the implication that their relationship made him uncomfortable. That wasn’t true in the slightest. His own awkward feelings were the problem. Not that he wanted to admit such. In the end he just muttered the first thing that popped into his head. “Truth is I have done that, yes.”

“ _Really_?” Tao seemed to perk up with interest. He leaned across the table to make sure he would be able to hear and asked, “How’d that work out for you?”

M-21 shrugged then looked back down at his drink. “It didn’t. I never said anything.” And he never would.

“Was he straight?” Tao asked.

“Tao!” Takeo yelped. He shot M-21 an apologetic look then put a hand on his boyfriend’s shoulder in an attempt to rein him in.

M-21 shook his head.

“Married?” Tao tried again.

“Are you ignoring me!” Takeo shrieked.

M-21 scrunched his face. He wasn’t sure how to describe someone to themselves without being extremely obvious. Perhaps it was better to say nothing at all.

Tao sat back against the booth and eyed M-21 as he sighed, “Let me guess. He was in a relationship so seemingly perfect that you could never see yourself as part of anything similar, so you didn’t even try.”

M-21 cringed. That felt like a punch right to the gut. Even though he acted silly, this guy sure was intelligent. He could read a person and gain whatever information he wanted. In the end it didn’t matter what M-21 did or didn’t feel. He had no right to think about either of them in the way that he did.

“You deserve happiness too, M,” Takeo said softly.

M-21 chuckled nervously then took a sip of his drink. He set the glass down then offered his best ‘everything is OK’ smile and replied, “I don’t know how we got to talking about this but what do you say we head back to mine and watch a movie instead?”

“A musical?” Takeo’s eyes shined.

“Horror?” Tao asked at the same time.

The two of them really were something else. Just a second ago it felt like they could cut the tension in the air with a knife. Now Tao and Takeo were laughing at each other’s predictable movie choice without a care in the world. M-21 couldn’t help but smile at the sound of their infectious laughter. He shook his head then said, “I was thinking something more along the lines of a comedy.”

“Good choice,” Tao and Takeo replied at the same time.

M-21 flopped onto his bed and let out an exhausted sigh. He draped his left arm across his eyes and was thankful for the quiet in his apartment. Tao and Takeo just left and he finally felt like he had some time to think. Something Takeo said had been on his mind the whole duration of their visit. He couldn’t even enjoy himself to the fullest because he was so distracted. At least the other two seemed like they had fun.

_You deserve happiness too, M…_

“Do I? Even if said happiness would be at the cost of someone else’s? That’s shameful.” M-21 said into the silence of his apartment.

M-21 rolled onto his side and frowned to himself. He really adored this friendship they now had. It was a shining light in his otherwise dull life. Just what would Tao and Takeo think of him if they knew about how much of his mind they occupied? If they were to find out just what kinds of daydreams he had about them? He couldn’t see the pair being happy about it. Not after they made the effort to offer him their friendship so selflessly.

That was why he had to put a stop to the feelings that he had no right to harbor. The only way he could think to accomplish something like that was by distancing himself from the other two. M-21 shut his eyes and let out a shaky sigh. If it was the only way, it had to be done, no matter how much he didn’t want to.

It was easy enough to put his plan into action. After he informed Rajak that he needed some personal time, the blond practically offered to come over and make him soup. He managed to convince him not to, thank goodness. One downside to all this was that he now owed Rael a favor for teaching his class in his stead. He could only imagine what that would be. Though if it meant it didn’t have to get canceled while he was gone it was all right.

The next step wasn’t too hard for him either. M-21 shut off his phone and stuffed it into a random drawer. He barely used the thing, anyway. Now he wouldn’t be tempted to contact anyone he was supposed to be avoiding. There wasn’t much he could do about thinking about the pair but that’d eventually simmer down too. It’d get easier with time and the awful feeling in his chest would fade. He hoped. Only then could he call himself someone worthy of the friendship they generously offered.

A week passed. Then two. M-21 mostly busied himself with all sorts of videos online. Of course he continued with his Taekwondo practice, but he even found a great online course that enabled him to take up the art of Tai Chi. He’d always wanted to give it a try but made up a thousand and one excuses about not having time. As that was all he had now, he went for it. He found that he quite liked it. Whenever he found himself longing to see the smiles he simply couldn’t, meditation helped him clear his mind. He wished he’d taken it up sooner.

It was a stormy evening during the middle of the third week that M-21 thought he heard a knock at his door. It was probably his imagination. Thunder could be unsettling when it rumbled out of nowhere. He continued to sit and listen to the sound of the rain outside. The downpour was one of the worst this season. He really wouldn’t want to be caught out in it.

A louder knock echoed through his apartment. M-21 turned towards the sound. There was no denying it this time. Perhaps it was the landlord telling him rent was going up again. That wouldn’t surprise him in the least. Frankly, it didn’t bother him too much. He wandered over to the front door and opened it.

M-21 stood there dumbfounded at the sight of Tao and Takeo. They were both completely drenched. Water dripped from the ends of their hair and their soaked clothes. Thunder rumbled so violently above that the walls around them vibrated. Had these two really just been out in _that_? What the heck? He didn’t miss the fact that they both looked so relieved for some reason. There was something he hadn’t seen in either of their eyes before. If he didn’t know any better, he might even call it akin to sadness.

Takeo put a hand over his heart and shook his head. “Oh, thank goodness. We’ve been worried sick.”

“Rajak would only tell us that you ‘emailed recently and were fine’ whenever we asked,” Tao added.

“I _am_ fine. Not that it matters. Look at the two of you!” M-21 exclaimed. “What the heck were you two thinking traveling in a storm like this?”

“We didn’t have much choice since you haven’t returned any of our calls or texts!” Tao yelled right back. He turned his head and grumbled, “You could’ve at least had the decency to tell us you didn’t want to be friends anymore in person, you know.”

“That’s not… _what_?” M-21’s eyes widened. Of course it must’ve seemed that way to them. The way he’d up and disappeared without so much as a word probably left them more hurt than anything else. He hadn’t even considered it. That just proved that he wasn’t worthy of a pair of friends like them in the first place. He bowed his head then stepped aside and motioned for them to enter. “You’ll both catch your deaths like this. Come in and dry off.”

“Thank you.” Takeo mumbled as he and Tao entered the apartment.

M-21 shut the door then paused. He’d done that without a second thought. Now the two people he swore he wouldn’t meet again until he’d rid himself of the unwanted feelings within him were in his home. He didn’t even know when his pulse started to race. Probably as soon as he’d laid eyes on the pair. Now he couldn’t shake the guilt he felt over making them think he didn’t care about them. He wasn’t used to this whirlwind of emotions.

M-21 rubbed the back of his neck and looked anywhere else but at his guests as he mumbled, “Listen, you’ve got it wrong. I never… what I mean to say is, uh…” He pursed his lips together and shook his head. “I disappeared _because_ I want to be your friend. I know it doesn’t make any sense and I’m sorry.”

Takeo offered him a kind smile and pat on the shoulder. Tao shook his head next to him then said, “We can talk after we shower.”

“Shower…?” M-21 repeated softly. He watched the pair walk off in the direction of the guest bathroom hand-in-hand. His gaze fell to the trail of water they left in their wake. He supposed it was up to him to wipe that up.

“Won’t be long.” Tao waved over his shoulder. “You can brew us some of that coffee we gave you while you wait.”

It took M-21 a moment to register that they weren’t standing before him anymore. It was amazing how the pair didn’t seem to be bothered by their predicament. If the tables were turned, he’d feel like a drenched cat. Totally uncomfortable in his own skin. Somehow Tao and Takeo gave off the aura of a pair of graceful swans.

He blinked a few times and then realized he wasn’t sure there were any towels in the guest bathroom. M-21 hurried to his bedroom and grabbed two clean towels from the laundry basket he wished he’d dealt with earlier. A pair of pajama pants fell out and he realized that they probably needed clothes too. He grabbed them each a set then wandered over to the guest bathroom. M-21 lifted his hand to knock on the door then paused when he heard a muffled chuckle.

“Watch where you’re grabbing!” Tao laughed.

“No way~” Takeo hummed.

A vivid image of what was probably going on behind the door flashed in M-21’s mind. His whole face burned as blush rushed to his cheeks. He needed to sit down. He knocked hard enough to get their attentions then leaned close to the door and said, “I brought you two towels and a change of clothes!”

“You can leave them on the sink!”

M-21 didn’t even know which one of them said that. He was too busy trying not to scream. OK. This was a simple task. He could do it. Open the door, leave the stuff, walk away. In theory it would be a piece of cake. M-21 took a deep breath then exhaled it slowly.

It took all the willpower he could muster and then some not to look over towards the shower knowing it had that translucent curtain he never got around to changing. He focused on the task at hand. Once everything was placed on the sink he practically ran out of the bathroom and shut the door behind himself. He leaned against it and took a few calming breaths in an attempt to get his pulse to calm down. Some higher power had to be testing him. He probably wouldn’t survive.

Once he managed to regain his composure for the most part, he finally wiped up the watery mess on the floor then headed to the kitchen so he could get that coffee started. As he waited he couldn’t help but wonder how he found himself in this situation. Clearly he hadn’t gotten over his feelings for the pair. It seemed impossible that he hadn’t made any progress in that department. Yet the way his heart felt like it was in a vice grip at the mere thought of them was all the evidence he didn’t want. The sound of footsteps behind him knocked him out of his thoughts and he focused on pouring three cups of coffee.

“Thanks for letting us borrow some clothes, M.” Tao said as he walked up to the gray-haired man’s right side. His hand just barely grazed the back of M-21’s shirt as he pat him. “Takeo is finishing drying his hair.”

“It’s the least I could do,” M-21 replied. His gaze was fixed upon the mugs as he said, “I’m sorry for worrying you two. I shouldn’t have disappeared without saying anything.” He paused for a moment to gather his thoughts. Thunder rumbled loudly outside, and he shook his head. “Me and my excuses aside, I still can’t believe neither of you thought to grab an umbrella, though.”

Tao’s hand applied just the slightest bit of pressure to M-21’s back. He turned his head so that he whispered right into his ear as he said, “Our heads were too full of thoughts about you.”

M-21 stiffened when a shiver ran down his spine. He was wide-eyed as he watched Tao grab two mugs then hum softly in thanks before he waltzed out of the kitchen. Yet again his heart threatened to beat right out of his chest. The sound of idle chatter from the other room signaled that Takeo had joined Tao in the living room. M-21 picked up the last mug then went to join them as well.

Part of M-21 expected to be met with hostility from Takeo and Tao. After all, he deserved such. Yet the two of them were just as cheery as ever. They were all smiles and laughed loudly at the silliest jokes. They did all they could to get him to join in and laugh with them. It felt like nothing changed and no time whatsoever had passed. For some reason that made his chest ache.

When things finally calmed down a bit the three of them settled in to watch a movie at M-21’s suggestion. It wasn’t even halfway over before both Tao and Takeo had slumped over against his shoulders and fallen asleep. M-21 sat through the rest of the movie just like that. It made him happy to be with them like this. He’d missed their presence in his life as of late. Part of him wanted to wrap an arm around each of them. That only made him feel the familiar sense of guilt that caused this mess. Instead, he tried to figure out a way that he could get up without disturbing the pair. He attempted to move very carefully, as to not wake them.

“Do you really despise being near us so much…” Takeo whispered.

“What! No!” M-21 didn’t mean to yell, he simply couldn’t stand the little quiver he heard in Takeo’s voice. It sounded like he was trying not to cry. That didn’t suit him at all. The guy should only ever be happy. His smile could melt anyone’s heart and M-21 was living proof of that.

Takeo’s voice was barely above a whisper when he asked, “So you _do_ like us?”

“Of course, more than anything,” M-21 admitted. Granted, he probably should have left that last part out, but it was too late now.

Takeo tilted his head upwards so their eyes met and blinked slowly. His tone was soft yet stern as he said, “Then take us to bed.”

“Take you… _huh_ …?” M-21 clearly hadn’t heard him right.

“To bed,” Tao clarified. He lifted his head to look at M-21 as well.

“If you’re, uh, too tired to head home you two can sleep in my room…” What was he saying? M-21 had officially lost all control of his brain to mouth filter. His breath hitched in his throat when both of them sat upright.

“Lead the way,” Tao hummed as he motioned with his left hand.

M-21 stood up then did as they asked. He showed them to his room and grumbled something under his breath about not minding the mess. This was the first time he ever questioned turning his second bedroom into a workout room. Oh, well. The couch was comfortable enough. He was pretty sure there was a throw blanket on the back of it or something. The pair sat down and he turned to leave but stopped abruptly when someone caught his hand. M-21 looked down and saw perfectly manicured black nails.

“There’s room for all of us,” Takeo insisted as he scooted over and pat the free space next to himself.

Tao yanked him with a surprising amount of strength and M-21 stumbled onto the bed. He managed to catch himself just in time not to squish anyone. A little quick thinking on his part lead to him rolling between the two of them. He laid on his back and blinked at the ceiling, a bit confused about whether or not he was dreaming.

“That was graceful,” Tao snickered. He grunted when Takeo smacked his stomach lightly.

M-21 supposed that lying sprawled out like he was didn’t leave too much room for the others, so he rolled onto his right side. M-21 let out the most undignified sound when he was suddenly nose to nose with Takeo. His eyes widened when the purple-haired man simply chuckled then scooted closer and hugged him. M-21 could feel the warmth of Takeo’s body heat as he laid his head against his chest. His heart skipped a beat, the traitor.

“M, your pulse is racing,” Takeo whispered. He tilted his chin upwards and smiled. He leaned just the slightest bit closer so his lips just barely brushed up against M-21’s as he purred, “Is there something you’d like to say… or perhaps do?”

M-21 grunted in surprise when Tao’s cool hand slipped beneath his shirt and slid across his abs. He didn’t even realize that arm was around his waist in the first place. Now he was very aware of the body pressed up against his back.

Tao’s voice was a gravelly purr as he hummed, “He wants you to kiss him.”

“But…! You…!” M-21 couldn’t seem to get a complete thought out of his mouth.

Tao chuckled softly then explained, “ _I_ want you to kiss him, too. And then I want you to kiss me.”

Whatever reservations M-21 was still clinging to shattered in an instant. He put his hands on either side of Takeo’s face and pressed their lips together just like he’d wanted to for far too long now. Every single thing he tried to repress and deny hit him full force. He broke the kiss and found himself left breathless. Takeo’s half-lidded gaze and little smile certainly didn’t help matters.

M-21 let his hands fall away from Takeo then turned and immediately kissed the waiting Tao. He couldn’t help but smile when the guy chuckled into the kiss. That was exactly like him. All the times M-21 had wondered what it’d be like as he watched the two of them kiss seemed silly. There was no way he’d ever be able to imagine just how intoxicating it was. He wanted more. He wanted them both in a way he couldn’t even describe. He broke the kiss and pursed his lips together.

“What’s wrong?” Takeo asked.

“Are the two of you sure you want to ruin–”

“Let me stop you right there,” Tao interrupted. He pushed himself to a seated position and declared, “You’re clearly misinformed. Nothing that happens tonight can _ruin_ the bonds we three already have.” He shut his eyes and shook his head. “That being said, if you don’t want to be with us just say so and we’ll go home.”

M-21 put his left hand over his eyes and let out an exasperated sigh. It was followed by an amused huff when a smile spread across his face. He shook his head then admitted, “I’ve wanted the two of you since the very first time I watched you dance a _pas de deux_.”

“In that case all you need to do now is relax,” Tao replied with a mischievous grin.

“Absolutely not.” M-21 wrapped his arm around Takeo then rolled them over so he had him pinned. He bent down and kissed that adorable shocked face then pushed himself up on his hands once more. “That’s not in my nature at all. I’m a take charge kind of guy.”

Takeo’s eyes widened and his cheeks darkened with blush. He looked like he wanted to say something but forgot how to make words. Shock was a good look on him.

“That suits us just fine,” Tao purred. He laid down next to Takeo and pulled his face towards him so they could kiss.

A low growl rumbled within M-21’s chest. He’d seen the pair kiss plenty of times before, but never like this. He put his hand beneath Tao’s chin and pulled it towards him instead. Takeo’s soft whine as they kissed sent a surprising jolt of arousal straight to his groin. That was the first of many sounds he’d never heard the pair make before. He planned on hearing every last one before the night was over.

*

M-21 opened his eyes and blinked slowly. The familiar sight of his bedroom ceiling came into focus and he wondered why he’d never done anything to patch that one tiny crack. Almost immediately the events from the previous night came flooding back. He could hardly believe any of it was real. He sat up then rubbed the grogginess out of his eyes.

He looked at the sleeping men on either side of himself. What he could see of their bare torsos sticking out from under the blanket confirmed that none of it had been a dream. To say it had been beautiful felt like a severe understatement. M-21 had felt things with the two of them that he didn’t even know were possible. In fact, this was the first time he ever didn’t want things to end after sex. If they could go on like this together forever he’d be happy. A soft grunt caught his attention and he watched as Tao stirred then sat up as well.

Tao stretched lazily and then cracked his neck side to side. He leaned forward just a bit to look at the sleeping man on the other side of M-21 then smiled. He sat back again and hummed, “You have a godly amount of stamina, M. Takeo’s still in a coma and he’s usually up before the sun.”

“Oh.” M-21’s cheeks darkened. “Sorry…?”

“What for? Look at the smile on his face.” Tao’s grin stretched across his face as he reached over and pet Takeo’s hair. Then he sat upright again and stretched out his right arm. He crossed it over his body and used the left to tug it gently. After that he switched arms and stretched them in the opposite direction. “We certainly got to put our flexibility to the test last night, damn. I’m sore all over.”

“Sor–” M-21’s eyes widened when Tao kissed him then put a finger over his lips.

“Do you really think there’s anything about last night that we didn’t enjoy to the fullest? Stop trying to apologize for nothing.” Tao’s finger slid from M-21’s lips to trace his jawline. There wasn’t even a hint of doubt in his voice as he said, “I’m pretty sure that you’re exactly what’s been missing from our lives. I, for one, want to keep you.”

Takeo groaned softly then nodded in approval. He wrapped his arms around M-21’s waist and laid his head in his lap. He didn’t even bother to open his eyes as he mumbled, “Please date us.”

M-21’s eyes widened at the suggestion. “Date you? Both of you?”

“Yeah, why the heck not?” Tao asked right back. He had a mischievous gleam in his eyes as he added, “we like you; you like us… we all create fireworks in the sack. It just makes sense.”

“Shut uppp Taooo…” Takeo whined as he bat at him half-heartedly.

Tao caught his hand and brought it to his lips. He placed a gentle kiss upon Takeo’s fingers then said, “We’d better get some breakfast in you, huh?”

“Bacon.” It was the only word Takeo could manage at the moment, but that was enough to get his point across.

Tao nodded. “One kimchi fried rice bowl coming right up. After I buy groceries.”

M-21 listened to the pair’s little back and forth about breakfast and couldn’t help but smile to himself. He couldn’t think of a single reason they shouldn’t date. Clearly the three of them were compatible in a multitude of ways. If it meant more nights like the previous one along with more mornings exactly like this, he certainly wouldn’t mind.

“Let’s go out for breakfast,” M-21 suggested.

“Oh, good idea! Our treat since we finally go you to join us for a _pas de trois_!” Tao laughed.

“I think you mean _ménage à trois_ ,” Takeo mumbled into M-21’s lap. The two of them chuckled when the gray-haired man grunted in response and turned his head away from them.

Tao kissed M-21’s cheek then hummed, “It’s cute that you’re embarrassed over a few little words considering the things you said to us last night.” He nuzzled M-21’s cheek. “Tell me again just how good I feel.”

“I know a great breakfast place! Let’s go!” M-21 practically leaped out of bed, which caused Takeo to yelp in surprise while Tao laughed loudly. He scurried into the master bathroom and started the shower.

“Why’d you do that… I was comfy…” Takeo grumbled with a pout.

Tao pet his hair and continued to smile. He glanced at the bathroom and then looked back at Takeo before he asked, “I didn’t hear the door lock, did you?”

Takeo perked up then looked over at the door and replied, “That’s practically an invitation to follow.”

“It’d be rude not to,” Tao hummed. They exchanged a glance and then smiled. Day one of their newfangled relationship was already off to a great start.

**Author's Note:**

> I cannot believe that a simple “AU where Takeo is a dancer” thought lead to all this… it wasn’t the plan!!! Godddd
> 
> Man I love these three together so much <3<3<3
> 
> Cant blame M-21 for practically falling in love at first sight… same…
> 
> yeah i guess m-21 got his name at a rough orphanage or something in this au... poor bab... no sad details though. only happy lovey times ok
> 
> they deserve All The Soft
> 
> Please look at this super cute ot3 art by [ spaded-square ](https://spaded-square.tumblr.com/post/616109443333160960/commission-for-cloversdreams-uwu)


End file.
